An intimate exploration of survival and recovery that may appeal most to readers in similar situations who are looking for...
A woman reframes her life as she comes to terms with an abusive relationship with an older man in this memoir.
Dredge calls herself “Caroline” in this creative nonfiction book, in which she says that “all names have been changed, some events have been compressed, some dialogue has been recreated, and some locations, dates, and characteristics have been changed.” Caroline meets the double-named Gary Richard in Missouri in 1996, when she’s 16 and he’s 24. He’s aware that she’s underage, but they begin a sexual relationship almost immediately. Only four months later, Caroline becomes pregnant and decides to keep the baby and marry Gary Richard. From the start, their life together is plagued by his legal issues, which include a conviction for receiving stolen property, an arrest and trial for theft, and charges of sexual predation of a 14-year-old girl. They eventually have a second child together, but their financial instability and Gary Richard’s legal troubles and infidelity continue over the next five years. Then a prosecutor moves forward with a charge of statutory rape against her husband, using their son’s DNA as evidence. Overall, this memoir offers an immersive portrait of the many cycles of domestic abuse, with Caroline resolving to leave Gary Richard many times before she finally does so. With support from family members, friends, co-workers from her job as a hospital clerk, and her renewed faith in God, she’s able to find the strength to break free and build a new life for herself and her children. The emotions involved are complex, and the book tends to state explicitly how Caroline was feeling at any given time. This straightforward approach makes the text accessible, but readers may find the story to be less affecting than it might have been. The re-created conversations feel stilted at times and lack the nuance and personality that one finds in casual conversation.
An intimate exploration of survival and recovery that may appeal most to readers in similar situations who are looking for hope.Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2024
ISBN: 9781647428082
Page Count: 284
Publisher: She Writes Press
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A blissfully vicarious, heartfelt glimpse into the life of a Manhattan burlesque dancer.
A former New York City dancer reflects on her zesty heyday in the 1970s.
Discovered on a Manhattan street in 2020 and introduced on Stanton’s Humans of New York Instagram page, Johnson, then 76, shares her dynamic history as a “fiercely independent” Black burlesque dancer who used the stage name Tanqueray and became a celebrated fixture in midtown adult theaters. “I was the only black girl making white girl money,” she boasts, telling a vibrant story about sex and struggle in a bygone era. Frank and unapologetic, Johnson vividly captures aspects of her former life as a stage seductress shimmying to blues tracks during 18-minute sets or sewing lingerie for plus-sized dancers. Though her work was far from the Broadway shows she dreamed about, it eventually became all about the nightly hustle to simply survive. Her anecdotes are humorous, heartfelt, and supremely captivating, recounted with the passion of a true survivor and the acerbic wit of a weathered, street-wise New Yorker. She shares stories of growing up in an abusive household in Albany in the 1940s, a teenage pregnancy, and prison time for robbery as nonchalantly as she recalls selling rhinestone G-strings to prostitutes to make them sparkle in the headlights of passing cars. Complemented by an array of revealing personal photographs, the narrative alternates between heartfelt nostalgia about the seedier side of Manhattan’s go-go scene and funny quips about her unconventional stage performances. Encounters with a variety of hardworking dancers, drag queens, and pimps, plus an account of the complexities of a first love with a drug-addled hustler, fill out the memoir with personality and candor. With a narrative assist from Stanton, the result is a consistently titillating and often moving story of human struggle as well as an insider glimpse into the days when Times Square was considered the Big Apple’s gloriously unpolished underbelly. The book also includes Yee’s lush watercolor illustrations.
A blissfully vicarious, heartfelt glimpse into the life of a Manhattan burlesque dancer.Pub Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-27827-2
Page Count: 192
Publisher: St. Martin's
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2022
A slick, vacuous glimpse into the former first lady’s White House years.
A carefully curated personal portrait.
First ladies’ roles have evolved significantly in recent decades. Their memoirs typically reflect a spectrum of ambition and interests, offering insights into their values and personal lives. Melania Trump, however, stands out as exceptionally private and elusive. Her ultra-lean account attempts to shed light on her public duties, initiatives, and causes as first lady, and it defends certain actions like her controversial “I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” jacket. The statement was directed at the media, not the border situation, she claims. Yet the book provides scant detail about her personal orbit or day-to-day interactions. The memoir opens with her well-known Slovenian origin story, successful modeling career, and whirlwind romance with Donald Trump, culminating in their 2005 marriage, followed by a snapshot of Election Day 2016: “Each time we were together that day, I was impressed by his calm.…This man is remarkably confident under pressure.” Once in the White House, Melania Trump describes her functions and numerous public events at home and abroad, which she asserts were more accomplished than media representations suggested. However, she rarely shares any personal interactions beyond close family ties, notably her affection for her son, Barron, and her sister, Ines. And of course she lavishes praise on her husband. Minimal anecdotes about White House or cabinet staff are included, and she carefully defuses her rumored tensions with Trump’s adult children, blandly stating, “While we may share the same last name, each of us is distinct with our own aspirations and paths to follow.” Although Melania’s desire to support causes related to children’s and women’s welfare feels authentic, the overall tenor of her memoir seems aimed at painting a glimmering portrait of her husband and her role, likely with an eye toward the forthcoming election.
A slick, vacuous glimpse into the former first lady’s White House years.Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2024
ISBN: 9781510782693
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
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